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I'd like to ask something related to this. You pointed out that the final movie ended up not using a lot of the dialogue from the script - extremely well written, by the way. While I understand that sometimes the scripted dialogue makes into the movie verbatim, have you ever felt like you were reading some kind of transcription instead of a screenplay? Are there such cases? Let me elaborate on it. Earlier today, after watching "Silver Linings Playbook", I decided to replay the movie while reading the script. And I was kind of puzzled when I noticed that a good part of the dialogue (I didn't read it entirely, jumped through somes scenes) was exactly as scripted. And that the script lacked a lot of descriptions or directions - the opposite of "The Usual Suspects" excerpt posted above. It was puzzling because in a particular scene (page 149), when Tiffany - played by Jennifer Lawrence - cries, there's nothing on the script that says she should cry. I'd love to read your thoughts on this -- if there's already a post in the website and/or any books about this particular matter, I'd be glad to be pointed to them! Thanks.

I think Jennifer Lawrence cried because that's how she felt. Same with Da Niro crying. All the actors were watching his performance in awe. As screenwriters we have to come up with a great script but the actors have to make it come to life. We have to inspire them, but they make it real. We have to walk the fine, moving line between providing enough inspiration and giving enough freedom (for the actors, set directors, wardrobe, et. al., especially the director. You saw brilliance. That emotion cannot be scripted.